SF 49ers: 5 players John Lynch needs to have on trade block
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: SF 49ers Quarterback Nick Mullens
Last offseason, the idea of trading No. 2 quarterback Nick Mullens was seen as blasphemy among many within the SF 49ers fanbase. The argument being, “It’s crucial to have a capable backup… remember Nick Foles on the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles a few years ago?”
San Francisco 49ers
Well, quarterback Nick Mullens got his chance to prove his value earlier this season when the starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, was out two weeks with a high-ankle sprain.
The results from Mullens were so-so: an impressive outing against the lowly New York Giants, followed by a not-so-impressive outing against the lowly Eagles the following week, providing perfect evidence backup quarterbacks are just that.
Backups.
It’s pretty indicative San Francisco would be in a bad place if Garoppolo went down with a lengthy injury from this point onward anyway, and Mullens likely won’t reclaim the same kind of trade value he had after his impressive end to 2018.
Still, there’s some merit to making him a movable commodity before the NFL trade deadline, especially considering he’ll be a restricted free agent in 2021 and still under some modest control next year for the team owning his rights.
A team looking for a bridge option under center could see value in that, and it might be wise for San Francisco to rethink it’s backup quarterback situation between now and next year anyway.
Next. 5 draft prospects 49ers can target in 2021 to fix offensive line. dark
The 2020 NFL trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 3.